Chapter 166: Chapter 166
Jun Ning watched closely and understood that the old man wasn’t choking up because his leg hurt, but because of the wooden kite beside him.
"Grandpa, what’s wrong?" Jun Ning squatted by the old man, patting his shoulder as she asked.
The old man turned to look at her, tears welling in his eyes, "Girl, I’ve personally tried it. This thing can carry a person into the air without injuring them."
Have you ever experienced something you’ve persisted in for decades, without seeing any hope, suddenly come to fruition?
No one can understand the hardship of this journey, and no one can empathize. The persistence day and night, which only brought failure, pain, self-doubt, complaints... these emotions were worn down over the decades of climbing. The old man’s heart had long been numbed by the hurt, devoid of any intention to say anything sentimental now.
At this moment, his heart was filled only with excitement.
So excited that tears filled his eyes, expressing the hard-earned success within him.
"Girl, you’re my lucky star!" The old man wanted to hug the little girl, but seeing his filthy self, he feared dirtying her clean clothes. He withdrew his hands and instead said, "Girl, come, watch me fly with it."
The old man, disregarding the injury on his leg, stood up.
Jun Ning glanced at his leg and said, "This wound needs immediate attention, or else your leg will be ruined."
"Ruined then, it doesn’t matter."
The old man didn’t care about his mere leg; his mind was entirely absorbed in the joy of the successful flight test.
When the wooden kite was completed this morning, he went out to test it, and it could indeed fly without dropping mid-air.
He was truly too excited.
"No way," Jun Ning shouted towards the door, "Ming Yue, bring the medicinal ointment from the carriage, and then go to the inn to find the doctor who treated my brother and Uncle Qi."
The little girl’s words were urgent, and the Crown Prince and Qi Qin, who hadn’t caught up outside, felt a wave of tension upon hearing them.
Why suddenly need medicine? And a doctor?
The two exchanged a glance and hurriedly headed inside. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵
Once inside, seeing Jun Ning was okay, both of them breathed a sigh of relief, their anxious hearts finally resting.
The Crown Prince glanced at the old man next to Jun Ning and then at the kite-like wooden contraption in his hands.
"What is that?" The Crown Prince asked in confusion.
Jun Ning approached the Crown Prince, tugged his hand with a childish voice, "Brother, this grandpa is amazing. He can make people fly, and that’s why I brought you here to see his big kite."
The little girl’s voice was full of joy and excitement.
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince became extremely excited but also feared he’d heard wrong. Uncertain, he asked, "Can this old man really make people fly?"
If there was truly something that could make people fly, then he and Qi Qin wouldn’t have to exhaust themselves traversing the Black Forest but could simply fly over it.
Qi Qin apparently thought of this too and was just as excited as the Crown Prince.
He stepped forward, trembling, and seized the old man’s shoulder, asking, "Really?"
After asking, both he and the Crown Prince sighed simultaneously.
What were they dreaming of? What were they fantasizing about again?
If there truly were something that could make people fly in this world, it would’ve been known long ago, certainly not discovered just now. The Black Forest before Medicine King Valley wouldn’t have the terrifying reputation it does.
"You don’t believe me, do you?" The old man, dragging his injured leg and the wooden kite, walked outside, muttering, "Hmph, I’ll prove it to you."
"Grandpa, your leg," the old man dismissed his own injury, but Jun Ning was deeply concerned.
The Crown Prince picked up Jun Ning, and he and Qi Qin followed the old man with a somewhat amused mentality.
With Qi Qin’s help, the old man carried the wooden kite to a high mountain.
It was already noon by then.
The Crown Prince never mentioned he only accompanied Jun Ning for half an hour, clearly holding some hope for the old man’s contraption. Though he still felt in his heart that nothing could make people fly.
Until the old man jumped off the mountain with the help of the wooden kite.
And he didn’t plummet down but soared into the air. Not just a short distance, but he flew a large circle and then came back, landing stably in front of them.
The Crown Prince was both shocked and delighted that something could actually make people fly.
"Qi Qin, you saw it, it flew."
Of course, Qi Qin saw it, and he was just as excited as the Crown Prince, "Yes, it flew. Now we can fly directly over the Black Forest without brutishly fighting those beasts."
"Yes." The Crown Prince excitedly kissed Jun Ning’s cheek, "Good sister, if you hadn’t brought your brother here, he would’ve missed out on this flying contraption. You’re truly your brother’s lucky star, helping him greatly."
The Crown Prince, in his excitement, was utterly delighted. He didn’t even consider connecting Jun Ning with the successful construction of the wooden kite, simply considering it as his sister bringing him good fortune.
The Crown Prince gave Jun Ning several more kisses, "Brother likes you to death."
Jun Ning pretended to understand nothing, "Brother, I- I don’t know what help I gave you, but seeing you happy makes me happy too!"
The Crown Prince then bought the wooden kite from the old man for a hefty sum, intending to fly over the Black Forest with Qi Qin.
The old man knew it wasn’t his achievement, merely providing the craftsmanship, so he was reluctant to accept so much money. But Jun Ning gave him a wink, urging him to accept it.
She had intentionally brought the Crown Prince here, and if the old man didn’t accept the money, the Crown Prince would surely suspect she had a role in it.
But if the old man accepted it, he wouldn’t.
The old man had no choice but to take the money, but in the end, half of it ended up in Jun Ning’s pocket.
The Crown Prince and Qi Qin personally tested the wooden kite, confirming its safety and reliability, and then flew over the Black Forest with Jun Ning, arriving at Medicine King Valley.
The Medicine King Valley was filled with herbs, and the air was thick with their fragrance.
The group successively flew over on the wooden kite and, once gathered, ventured into Medicine King Valley.
The herbal aroma lingered around their noses, full of a natural scent, very pleasant.
Yet the Crown Prince ordered everyone to cover their faces, shielding their mouths and noses.
Just then, a servant from Medicine King Valley came to greet them.
The servant politely said, "Honored guests, our Valley Master has been waiting for a long time. Please follow me into the valley."
The Crown Prince and his group, full of vigilance, followed the servant into the valley.
Along the way, everyone was wondering why the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley was so cordial to them. It wasn’t like the outside rumors of strangers being unwelcome. It seemed they were deliberately awaited and somehow recognized?
Upon meeting the Valley Master, they finally understood why.
It was because the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley had taken a liking to Jun Ning, and he knew why they came. He could provide the life-saving medicine they sought, but in return, Jun Ning must stay in Medicine King Valley.